Tie plate



Sept. .30, 19,30. w. s, aoycz 1,776,882

IIE PLATE Filed Aug. 8, 1929 pa rn; STATES r V: '7 V iwrninraivrlsgaoron, or-

Patented se g. so, 1930 TIE PLATE ,j

application fiie m uss, szafseiiai no. 1384,2515.-

This. invention relates to railroad'tie plates,

' andhasforits main objects {to provide an improved tie plateconstruction wherein the metal is distributed in a noyel manner so as 5tosecure the maximum-of strength with the leagstweig'ht-of"metal,therebyfrediieing the,

cost of the tie plates; to'prov ide improved means forlocking the tieplate-toa tie'so as to prevent shifting of-the tie plate "longitudinallyvof the tie; to provide an arrangemerit whereby the tie platerea'dily"-beco nes embedded in the tieand locked againstthe saidlongitudinal shifting, as an incidentto v the passage of s ccessivetrain floads over the rail portion supported by the tie plate and,'{'i'nenera'l,-it is the object of my invention to provide aniinproved the"plate structurev Other objects and-advantages of niyinvention will beinderstood by rei'erencetoft'he. following specification and'acoo in"pan yinfgv drawing wherein I have illustrated afti'e plate embodying aselected form of my invention,

and also several modifications thereof.

In the dr'awingz. Fig. 1 is a side-elevation. y p V r '2 is a bottomplan of the; plate shown jFigl3 is an end elevation. I v Fig. l is asectionon'the lji-ne44t O fFigQ;

modifications of myinyention.

' Referring now to the drawingfniy' im proved tie plate includes a railbearing surface 10 onits top face anda 'i iange'jll projeeting upwardlytherefronito provide rail abutting shoulder-12 adjacent one end of therail seat 10. As shown, the railseatlO may Iribs15 and 16 arepreferablybh'int orroundindicated at 17 at an intermediate=point iinFigs. 5 6 and 7 are side eleyationsof end portions of a tie plateembodying-certa nand 14 of increaseddepth as compared Witii and locatedapproximately beneath the edges ofthe base fiangesof a rail seated onsaid i'ailseat; y In thepresentinstance, the -rprimarytie bearingsurfaces are indicated at"13 and L4,, these tie bear'ingsurfacesbeingproyided "with 56 depending ribs '1'5and 16 which extendt-ran's-vversely of the plate, and inleifectydiyidetthe primary bearingfsnrf-aces13 and 143i'1'1i10 two portions one oneach side of each ribj The edv asshown, and are adapted to be erribedded in railroad tie Without cuttingthe fibers thereof. The rihslaand 16 being comparati vely narrow, may bereadily embedded one or two'biows with a sledge hammer Whereby the tieplate is initially held against shifting longitudinally of the t'ie.

Theibottoin face of the central or median portion fOf'jf/he tie plate,that is,*'the=por tion between the initial or primary bearing surfaoesl3and 14, is prefer-ably arched so as-to rediice the thiekness o f' t'heplate from its a i 7 maximum thickness at the respe etive primarybearing surfaces to a m'inin um thickness as" 7'5 thelength o-fthetieplate. The a.rc'-hed*bottom surface may be a smooth or regular curvedsurface, butl preter t-o providethesa-idarched bottom surface with aplurality or stepped,

secondary or au iIia-ryt'ie bearing seats, such asindicated at 13* and14 Thesesecondary seats; 13? and 14 are progressively stepped upwardlyand inwardly towards the- 'rniddle i I portion'of the rail seat of theplate from the respective primary tie bearing Seats 135 and I 14 so asto provide oppositely faeing shou'l =de'rs 13 and- 1 K which definetherespeetive I seeondary seats. By preference,the "seats 18? and 14areinclineddownwardly'anl i ward the depth of such shoulders when theseats are disposed 1 in substantially horizontal planesas'shoW-n in Fig.*5 The bottoms of the respective end portions 18 and 19 may 7 be treatedin any desirable manner, (but I prefer-to incline thesa'me upwardly andout- Wardly and to provide thesame with stepped secondarytie bearing'seats "such asshown at 13 and 14; The secondary stepped tie hear ingseats 13 and 14 may be of the same general formation as those on thebottom face of the median portion of the plate, but the said end portionseats incline downwardly and outwardly with respect to the respectiveprimary tie bearing surfaces 13 and 14.

The end portions 18 and 19, if stepped down, to. the extent shown in Fig; 1 in the drawing, would probably be considered too thin and to lacksufficient strength to prevent bending or breaking of the said endportions In order to overcome such objection, the said end portions maybe provided with a plurality of transversely spaced, longitudinallyextending ribs 20 and 21 which are formed integral with the tie plate.In this manner, there is an effective thickness equal to the combinedthickness of the stepped end portion and the rib, whereby the strengthof the said end portions is such that the above mentioned objection isovercome.

The stepped and ribbed formation of the end portions of the plate mayotherwise be described as being recessed and stepped so as to leave theprojecting ribs 20 and 21. As shown in Fig. 1, the stepped seats 13 and14 are recessed from the bottom. faces of the ribs 20 and 21 so thatabrupt shoulders 13 and 14 are formed joining the respective primaryseats 13 and 14 with the secondary seats 13 and 14. The abrupt shoulders13 and 14 and with shoulders which define the respective seatsconstitute, in effect, depending ribs extending transversely of theplate, which serve in cooperation with the depth of the ribs 15 and 16to effectively hold the plate against longitudinal shifting when theplate has been embedded in the tie. It is quite possible as a practicalmatter to provide a combined shoulder and rib width equal to or greaterthan the width of the usual trian ular or similarly shaped ribs providedon conventional tie plates. Embedment of the longitudinally spaced shoulders is more readily accomplished thanis embedmentof a single continuousshoulder of a depth equal to the combined depth of the spaced shoulders,since less abrupt distortion of the fibers of the tie is required thanis the case with the ribs found on conventional tie plates.

As a practical matter, railroads often lay rails directly on wood tieswithout interposing a tie plate between the bottom of the rail and thetie. During use, the rail gradually cuts into the tie. This isobjectionable, and if not stopped, soon cuts such a deep recess in thetie that the latter must be removed and discarded. In order to preventsuch continued cutting into the tie, tieplates such as concerned in thepresent invention may be interposed between the rail and tie, this beingdone in actual practice by first adzing or gouging outthe top of-the tieso as to eliminate the rail formed recess, the result shown in Fig. 1.

being that an irregular or arcuate surface is left where the tie plateshould be seated. In order that the tie plate will probably seat on suchan arcuate surface, I prefer to provide the ends thereof with the abovedescribed upwardly and outwardly inclined bottom portions which willapproximately conform to the adjacent arched tie surface portions.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a condition wherein the arched tie surface isindicated at 22, the tie plate having its ribs 15 and 16 embedded in thetie to prevent longitudinal shifting, the plate being also seated on thetie at its primary tie bearing seats 13 and 14. In this instance, I havealso shown the ends of the tie plate as being seated on the tie asindicated at 23 and 24. The points of engagement between the ends of thetie plate and tie are obviously comparatively reduced areas at thebottom edges of the lon gitudina-l extending ribs 20 and 21. Since theseribs extend lengthwise of the tie, that is with the grain thereof, itwill be seen that embedment of the primary seats 13 and 14 will not bematerially hindered by the said points of engagement at the ends of thetie plate since the ribs 20 and 21 can be comparatively easily forcedinto the tie, it being a comparatively easy matter to separate thefibers of the tie as compared with distorting without cutting them asdone by the ribs 15 and 16 and primary tie bearing. seats 13 and 14.Hence, successive train loads passing over the supported rail portionswill gradually embed the successive stepped seats in the tie whereby theshoulders which define the various stepped seats will become effectiveto hold the tie plate against shifting longitudinally. Obviously, theend ribs 20 and 21 will serve to prevent transverse shifting and ifdesired, the median portion of the plate may be provided withtransversely spaced, longitudinally extending ribs which serve toreinforce the said median portion. I

In Fig. 5, I have shown a slightly modified form of construction whereinthe tie plate, a portion of which is indicated at 30. is provided withprimary tie bearing seats such as shown at 31 and initial-embedment ribs32 substantially similarin their relative arrangement to thecorresponding parts In this modified form. secondary tie bearing seatsindicated at 33 and 34 are provided, these being substantiallyhorizontally disposed while at the same time being progressively steppedupwardly, the seats 33 being stepped upwardly and inwardly from theprimary seat 31 and the secondary seats 34 being stepped upwardly andoutwardly from the said primary seat. Also in this modification. I haveshown the bottom of the end portion outside of the rib and primarysurface 31 as being formed without longitudinally extending ribs, therezeessing oi the steps heingomittedin thisoese :50 that, there, as emore-greduel taper he; the

hem-see end of the y tieplete, the thickness ibeingthete by maintainedgizeeter then in the structure cshowniniiig. -14. j e r s y In Fig. 6,1have shown anoth r modficetion wherein the-bottoms of {the endsof thplate are provided with'stepped seeondery seats whichere inclineddownwardlyend out wand-1y es in the form shown in Fig. '1,,=but whereinthere is nolongfitudiml recess of the said bottoms or provision :oilongitudinally extending ribs. The desiredthickne s of the end portionsis thus maintained throughout the width of the plate, this beingdesirable in the opinion of some --r;ailroed executives. In High, 1 havealso shown the bottom of-the medianpottionofthetie plate as being p1r0-:Vided with s smooth erouaste surface 85-insteed oiers'teppederchedsurtaoe asshoW-n in Fig; 1. .It will :be seen that the tie plate"strneturein eeehaoi t e formssh wn in Figs.

' 1,;5and 16iis islloh that eachis Well adapted to being seated onzeitie having an arched seat suoh :as deserihed connection with Fig. ,1.Also, it will be "understood that embedment f eachvof "t ese iomnsoftlieplate will begin est-the initial embed-merit of the ribs followed byithepainter y seatsiendseoondery us a s, the

embedment beinggreduai es suceessi e :ti'ein pneeiable embedmentrof the:plete because of the Jorge area of bontziwt between the plate and zielin the structure fll 'l tig-rfi, 'thearoir ate median *bottom isurifece35 eonstitutes :a

L Co

vent longitudinal shifting of ithetie plate secondary tie engagingsurface Which is grad I Ra ly-embedded in ai-mennemvell understood byifihoeeskilled iinithe art, endthet portion of the eroueteslrrfeoefioimmediately ad acent the inside fane oithoeorib may be considered :3

pmrmery tiebeeringsurifeke;

- 1 17, lihave i illustrated a ffltlibllefimodh shed :nonstriletion do;the end [portions loaf the Plate, ithe bottoms thereodf this instaineeprovided 'Willhzbifi bearing surfaces :36

whiohiere joined by shonlders 3.7 theseid tie beeringlsurifaces :36beingnfin a 'stepped.m'- ren-gerrient-whereinfithe said surfaces orseats one "inclined down-weirdly or outwardly to- Wands the endofthepletesend arranged. with heir 'outenmost edges in :a' substantiallyhori- Zbnliitl' planeillie median portion of the tie plate maybe-erohedon its bottom as indi- Qatedat 38 019 treated in anyotherdesirable manner. ventegeoi hi -Wing empleshouldererea tore-Vvih'i'lealso-being suchthatithe end fportions are more readily embeddedinithe tie than the ribs 7 end plrimary seat iportions fsueh .asindicated ai -.39 40 respectixrely. 4

form of stnuoture has the fed e. understood that the shoulders and,&other surfaces joining relati e y offset suizfsoes are rounded o bluntso. thetlthene will he no tie cutting ,ection which is considered:objeotion ekle in that it weakens-the tieend shontensits min -J V m TheI above described tie plate 'strnstores V o In ell-ofthehhoitedesoribedfonms it-will f are highly :desi-ra-ble zifIl that themetal is distributed gin such :a 5 way; that maximum I strength isretained Where most needed, i. =e..,

directly :under and adjacent the edges ofthe base flanges of 1aleilnionnted onthe tie :plate. The-arrangements disclosed also servetooo tai n seiduma'ximlim strength (while ht'fthe same time reducing theweight o'f theeplzite because of 111851108761 arirangenientaof steppedseats, the linolinedieeat errmngement being eflective to save slightlymore metal than :is

thecase' with thehorizontal,stepped'seatour:

'zmngement. Bzy saying metal, c theicost of the {plates can bematerially reducerhithisbeingia,

ing from the spiritof my inventionpbhe scope of which should bedetermined by neference to the following claims, constrnhig fthe smne-asbroadly I elaim-ii-s'my invention s it 1. A .tieplate having "a primaryhie Cheering as possibleconsistentfi ith the st t of theart. y l l seaton its bottom face) sndfivplurality of secondary,transverselyiextendingstepped:tie 14 hearing seats on the bottom of] thesend perv tions ofet-he :plate outsideof said primary itie'bearingsurface, said stepped seets being-pro gressiyelyfisteppedupwardly towards the ends of the plate, saidprinfary and seic o'nda ry.4

stepped seats being adapted ltoibeosuccessively seated on andembe ddedinthe tie as anincident to rtliepassege of successive ttai-n; loads;

over the rail portionsupported by the tie plate, said stepped-seatsbeing defined lby shoulders extending Jbetweenedjacent seat-s andsaidmshouldersiserving, when the seats are embedded inthetieytoxhold theplate against shifting longitudinally of the tie; 7' '1 i 2. A tieplatyacording :to claim '1 ,;Wh;re-

in the steppedseatsnre inclined downwardly and outwardly, whereby theshoulders be tween the seats are increased in-a,rea'soias to affordincreased holding power to prevent tothetie. V

, 3. A tie plate having a pair of spaced tfansv'ersely extending primarytie bearing see-ts on its bottom'faceand intermediate its length, andsplurality of secondary, stepped longitudinal shifting of the tie platerelative a;

tie bearing seats onthebottom 0f theTen-d portions 2 of :theplate'outside of said nimary tie bearing surfaces, said stepped 'sea'tsbeing progressively stepped upwardly towards the endsofithe plate, .seid pnirnary andsecohdfiry stepped seats being adapted to be successivelyseated on and embedded in the tie as an incident to the passage ofsuccessive train loads over the rail portion supported by the tie plate,said stepped seats being defined by shoulders extending between adjacentseats and said shoulders serving, when the seats are embedded in thetie, to hold the plate against shifting longitudinally of the tie.

4. A tie plate having a pair of spaced, transversely extending primarytie bearing seats on its bottom face and intermediate its length, and aplurality of secondary, stepped tie bearing seats on the bottom of theend portions of the plate outside of said primary tie bearing surfaces,said stepped seats being progressively stepped upwardly towards the endsof the plate whereby the thickness of said end portions is graduallyreduced towards said ends, the bottom of the plate portion intermediatesaid primary tie bearing surfaces being arched longitudinally of theplate so as to reduce the thickness thereof intermediate said primarytie bearingseats, said primary and secondary stepped seats being adaptedto be successively seated on and embedded in the tie as an incident tothe passage of successive train loads over the rail portion supported bythe tie plate, said seats being defined by shoulders extending betweenadjacent seats and said shoulders serving, when the seats are embeddedin the tie, to prevent shifting of the plate longitudinally of the tie.

5. A tie plate having a pair of spaced, transverselyextending primarytie bearing surfaces on its bottom face and intermediate its length,ribs extending longitudinally of said primary seats, depending therefromand adapted to be embedded in a tie to initially hold the tie plateagainst shifting longitudinally of the tie, and a plurality ofsecondary, stepped tie bearing seats on the bottom of the end portionsof the plate outside of said primary tie bearing surfaces, said steppedseats being progressively stepped upwardly towards the ends of theplate, said primary and secondary steppedseats being adapted to besuccessively seated on and em bedded in the tie as an incident to thepassage of successive trainloads over the rail portion supported by thetie plate, said seats being defined by shoulders extending betweenadjacent seats and said shoulders serving, when the'seats are embeddedin the tie, to prevent shifting of the plate longitudinally of the tie.

6. A tie plate, according to claim 5, wherein the stepped seats areinclined downwardly and outwardly, whereby the shoulders be tween theseats areincreased in area-so as to afford increased holding power toprevent longitudinal shifting of the tie plate relative to the tie. v

y 7. A tie plate having a primary tie bearing seat-on its bottom face,and a pluralityof transversely extending stepped seats on the bottoms ofits end portions, said stepped seats being inclined downwardly andoutwardly whereby the outer edges of said seats initially engage thetie, and embedment thereof is gradual, whereby embedment of sa i dprimary seat is not materially hindered by said secondary seats.

8. A tie plate having a pair of spaced, transversely extending primarytie bearing seats'on its bottom face and intermediate its length, ribsextending longitudinally of and depending from said primary seats andadapted to be embedded in a tieto initially hold the tie plate againstlongitudinal shifting, and a plurality of secondary stepped tie bearingseats on the bottom of the tie plate on opposite sidesof 'each of saidprimary tie bearing surfaces, the'steps' on said end portions beingprogressively steppedupwardly towards the ends of'the plateand the stepson the median portion of the plate being-progressively stepped upwardly;towards the middle of said median portion, the longitudinal crosssection of the tie plate being thereby, in effect, gradually taperedfrom maximum thickness at said primary seats to minimum thickness at itsopposite ends and intermediate said primary seats, said primary andsecondary stepped seats being adapted to be successively seated on'andembedded in a tie as an incident to the passage of successive trainloads over the rail portion supported by the tie plate, said steppedseats being defined by shoulders extending between adjacent seats andsaid shoulders serving, when the seats are embedded in thetie to holdthe tie plate against longitudinal shifting movement.

9. A tie plate having a pair of spaced, transversely extending primarytie bearing surfaces on its bottom face and intermediate its length, anda plurality of secondary, stepped tie bearing seats on the bottom of theend portions of the plate outside of said primary tie bearing surfaces,said stepped seats being progressively stepped upwardly towards theendsof the plate whereby the thickness of said end portions is graduallyreduced towards said ends, the bottom of the plate portion intermediatesaid primary tie bearing surfaces being arched longitudinally of theplate so as to reduce'thethickness thereof at a point intermediate saidprimary tie bearing seats, one or more longitudinally extending ribsdepending from said arched intermediate portion for reinforcing thesame, said primary and secondary stepped seats being adapted to besuccessively seated on and embedded in the tie as'an incidentto thepassage of successive trainloads over the rail portion supported by thetie plate, said seats being defined by shoulders extending betweenadjacent seats and said shoulders serving,

man

, primary tie bearing surfaces, said primary i mam "when-the seats areembedded in thetie, to

7 prevent shifting ofthe'plate longitudinally ribs, the bottom faces, asa whole, of the opposite end portions of -the tie plate beinginofthetie," v 10. Atie plate having a pairof spaced 1 transverselyextending ribs" depending from the bottom of said; tieeplateintermediate its 1 length, primary tie bearing surface portions onthebottom ofsaid'plate adjacent said clined upwardlyandoutwardly, saidinclined bottom facesbeing provided with a plurality p of stepped,transverselyextending, secondary tie bearing seats defined by shouldersextending between adjacent seats, said primaryand stepped secondaryseats being adapted to be.

i successively seated-on and embedded in the tiegas an incident to thepassageof successive train loads over the rail'portion supported by thetie plate, said shoulders serving, when the seats are embedded in thetie,to hold the serve to hold the tie plate against longitudinalshifting relative to the tie.

' s 13. A tie plateaccordingto, claim 12 wherein the stepped seats areinclined downward ly and inwardly, wherebythe shoulders be tween theseats'are increased in area soasto V,

aliord increased holding power-to prevent longitudinal shifting ofthetie plate rela-- tive to the tie.

l4. 'Atife plate accordingto clainiS wherein'the stepped seats on theend portionsare inclined downwardly and outwardly, and

the stepped seats on the median portion be- 1 ing inclined downwardlyand inwardly, whereby the shoulders between the seats are increased inarea so as to afford increased holding power to prevent longitudinalshifting of the tie plate relative to the tie.

' WILLIAM S. BOYCE.

tie plate against shifting longitudinally of '7 the tie.

,11QA tie plate having a pair of spaced,

and secondary stepped seats being adapted r to be successively seated onand embedded'in the tie as an incidentto the'passage ofsuccessivetrainloads over the rail; portion'sup-. V

ported by the tie platefsaid seats being delined by shoulders extendingbetween adjacent seats andsaid shoulders'serving, when the seats areembedded in the tie, to prevent shifting of the plate longitudinally ofthe tie, said end portions being also provided with a pluralityoftransversely spaced, lo-ngitudinally extending ribs depending fromsaid stepped seats, said ribs serving to reinforce said end portions andalso f conends of the plate serving to support said end portions withoutmaterially hindering em bedment thereof. I

12. A tie plate having of transversely extending, longitudinally spacedinltial tie bearing seats on its bottomiface, said seats stitutinginitial tie bearing surfaces at the I [being located intermediate thelength or the plate, the bottoms of theend portion of the plate outsideof said primary seats'being inclined upwardly and outwardly, an'dthemedian portion of the "plate being generally arched upwardly and]provided with a I plurality of stepped, secondary seats, said" seats'beingprogressively stepped upwardly from the] respective primary seatstowards the middle of said'medianportion, said seats being defined byshoulders extending between adjacent seats, which shoulders, when therespective seats are embedded-in a, tie,

